I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE “LET’S GO” PART.

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You know when you have an idea and you sit on it for years until one day something happens and you say F-it, LET’S GO! Well, I highly recommend the LET’S GO part.

SHE’S GOT NEXT was born this year after seeing the contrast between USports and NCAA women’s basketball championships. I had been thinking about it for years but in April, things lined up to execute so Jill Tracy and I did.

Here’s why.

Canadian varsity athletes don’t get the same level of funding, visibility, and networking opportunities as Americans.

Lots of people have opinions on why:
“It’s a different culture”
“There’s no media attention”
“Top athletes move to the States”

On the positive side of things, you know what that leads to? Most Canadian varsity athletes are not going to be professional athletes. While that sucks for the athletes (if they want to), it’s great for organizations.

These athletes are graduating with a top Canadian University education and a whole number of other skills that they learn while being a varsity athlete.

Skills like:

Discipline
Time Management
Resiliency
How to talk to humans

So why not think differently about why you should be providing funding, visibility, and introductions to Canadian varsity athletes (current and former)? Like, recruiting for your organization.

Studies show women athletes make great leaders and at Universities there are a whole bunch of them, relatively untapped.

Our idea for SHE’S GOT NEXT is to bring women together that understand this and build a community so together we can elevate Canadian women’s sports and open doors for the next generation of women leaders.

We’re two women who took their passion and skills and said, LET’S GO!

Months later we have an amazing community of powerhouse women showing up for the next gen (and each other) at games, not galas.

It’s just the beginning, we are only getting started, but I’m so glad we did.

To all the women who jumped in this year with us, thank you. You saw what we saw and asked “how can I help” and I will always be grateful to you for that. We’re in this together, building for the greater good and a stronger society in sports and beyond.

Big thank you to the earliest members, who were set on their member number being their jersey number. 😀🙏

Carlie Erin Paxton, Ashley Hargreaves, Isabel Ormond, Emily Cordonier, Sarah Barclay, Erica McGuinness, CPA, CA, CBV, Liz Firer-Gillespie, Emma Tuson, Danielle Van Huizen,